Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I love when a home reflects its owners personality and when it’s not “decorated” to comply with trends or certain design rules. This home showcases a mix of bright colours, clashing patterns, and a love for textiles. According to the lady of the house:

Home decorating is in the details. It’s more than having a place to eat and sleep – it’s about the little things. Rugs, curtains and cushions. It’s not about the sofa, but what you put on the sofa to make it comfortable and cosy. I am always looking for nice fabrics, ribbons – anything that has a story or a pattern that I like. Life is rich when your home is a treasure trove. AND. I Couldn’t. Agree. More.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Some Love Sugar that is. This amazing etsy shop is owned by Nicole and Jimmy Chung and after seeing some of their work here last night, I knew I wouldn’t be able to go to bed before perusing their shop. I am thrilled I did!

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, Love Sugar would be a great shop to buy a beautiful print for a loved one. I absolutely adore the French I LOVE YOU typography print (above) too. Happy weekend everyone! XX

Thursday, January 26, 2012

I snapped this pic with my phone about a week ago. I am amazed at how fast baby Ian seems to be growing. Now 3 months old, he is undoubtedly big for his age. In fact at one of his recent checkups, his doctor just looked at him and said, “You’re a well fed baby, so healthy.” I was happy to hear that and I have to make sure that I am eating healthy since I am his food source. And, He. Loves. His. Food/Milk. I know I am behind on my blog reading, but will catch up with you once Ian is full. ha ha! Have a lovely Thursday everyone! XX

Monday, January 23, 2012

Good morning everyone! I know many of you are in a celebratory mood this morning because the NY Giants aka the “Big Blue” won yesterday. Though I am not an NFL fanatic, I couldn’t help being caught up in the hysteria. Yes hysteria, you should’ve seen the posts on facebook; people were going crazy! Anyway, this blue post is an ode to the “Big Blue” boys…

I apologize if you were a fan of the losing team, BUT, I hope you still enjoyed viewing the beauty within the colour blue. Happy Monday everyone! XX

Friday, January 20, 2012

His name is Ouigi Theodore and I bet he doesn’t follow trends, he starts them.

This space is totally trending 2012 décor faves; the blues, purples with splashes of black. Ouigi might not be able to sit comfortably in that couch(which I adore), but I think he would appreciate the masculine essence of the space. This weekend, I hope to get lots of at least 6 hours of sleep each day, so wish me luck. Have a wonderful weekend my friends. XX

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

I was super excited when HGTV decided to launch their magazine. It was about time, don’t you think? Anyway, HGTV has become a part of my daily routine because I’ve been entering daily to win their 2012 Dream Home. Who wouldn’t love to have multiple homes plus I would be the envy of all my friends if I won. You could all come and visit. Ok, I know i’m getting ahead of myself here, but you know the power of positive thinking…
So, today’s post is really about the magazine issue that is available on news stands today. It’s filled with lots of invaluable tips that could make housekeeping a bit less hectic. I know I can use all the help I can get (especially with a baby on board too)Here’s a snippet of what you’ll find…

Dirty Little Laundry Secrets from the Pros:

meet my dream laundry room (via houzz)

-A sink for hand-washing: A two minute soak in the sink isn’t enough. You need to soak stains for at least 10-30 minutes to really make a difference. - Bins for sorting: Don’t just separate by color but also by material. You don’t want to wash fuzzy fabrics like chenille and flannel with corduroy or permanent-press items, which can be magnets for lint.- Countertops for folding: Don’t fold clothes hot right out of the dryer (we know – we all do it!). You can wind up with creases that are hard to get rid of.- A rod for hanging: A rod is hey for keeping shirts smooth and crease-free. Take collared shirts out of the dryer a few minutes before they’re dry to prevent the neck from stretching and the collar from getting floppy.- Did you know: You should clean the inside of your washing machine to keep it and your clothes smelling fresh? You can put the lint screen from the dryer in the dishwasher? Hot pink, bring green, and electric blue can bleed more than other colors in the washing machine? Using too much detergent can actually make your clothes dirtier.- 3 stain busters to have on hand: Rubbing alcohol for ink. Raise armpit stain remover for getting out touch sweat stains. Blue dawn dish soap for grease.

When was the last time you cleaned?…

via housetohome

-Your hairbrush: Beauty experts recommend washing your hair brush every two months. First pull out all stray hairs with a comb. Fill a sink with warm water and a squirt of soap or mild shampoo, and soak your brush for 15 minutes. (If your brush has padding, boar bristles, or a wooden handle, swish it back and forth in the sink and then rinse to prevent the brush getting waterlogged.

via tumblr

-The inside of your coffee machine: Clean your machine after every dozen brews. Insert a coffee filter and fill the reservoir with two parts white vinegar and one part water, and run the machine through one full cycle. Then, repeat the process twice with cold water and filters.- The produce bins in your fridge: Scrub your bins every few months to keep produce flavors fresh. Empty the drawers and remove them from the fridge. Dip a cloth in a mixture of 4 tablespoons baking soda and 1 quart warm water, then wipe down the inside and outside of each bin. Avoid household cleaners, which can make food taste like chemicals. Be sure to rinse the bins in warm water before returning to the fridge.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

For the purpose of this post I shall defineCaressto be when one lightly runs his/her hand up and down an item in a home because it’s irresistible in its appearance.

My reaction to the décor of a home is probably not a typical one. I am quite visual so I if an item appeals to me, the urge to touch/feel it is usually quite overwhelming. Well, this renovated triplex in Barcelona has me twitching; you see I can only look and not touch or rather caress softly(yea, definitely not a typical reaction) the irresistible pieces that are sprinkled throughout.

An item can be made irresistible because of its texture, design, colour etc. For example, I can bet everyone who visits wants to caress that elephant’s husk because it’s irresistible and also a statement piece. I know something being irresistible can be relative from one person to the next, HOWEVER,

I cannot fathom why you wouldn’t want to touch/softly caress the things here. So irresistible… I hope that everyone is enjoying their weekend or long weekend in some cases. XX

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Ooh la la! For some reason Madonna’s Vogue song comes to mind when I look at this pic. Coincidentally too, this shoot was featured in Vogue.it. I wonder if they were even playing this song on the shoot… Naomi Campbell, Karen Elson, Kristen McMenamy and Daphne Groeneveld are the beauties featured in this Roberto Cavalli Spring- summer 2012 ad campaign. I’m totally loving the bling AND. THOSE. LEGS! I think I’ll stay on the elliptical a little longer today!! Hurray for Thursday! XX{image"}

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

There is something innately sexy about the design of Danish furniture or accessory. To me, a Danish piece equals classical, well made and as such will always be relevant. Well, guess what!?

Thanks to the wonderful Monika and her shop, Splendid Willow Avenue, I now have not one, but two gorgeous Danish designed pieces! You’re looking at one of them here. This one is called Mouse Big Brother in a Matchbox. I bought this for Baby Ian’s nursery and we all know who that is supposed to be looking over his little brother. Yep, you guessed it; Zion of course!

The next gorgeous piece is this Blue Wooden Pram. It’s truly adorable and very well made. They both are!

I love the retro vibe that they add to the nursery. I have been taking my time to put the nursery together and I love the direction it’s taking. I have another major nursery related reveal to make that was a result of a lovely collaboration with another close blogger friend and extraordinaire! It’s not quite ready to be revealed yet, but I am bursting at the seams with excitement!! I love blogland , the relationships formed, the exposure to different cultures and thanks to bloggers like Monika who have made it possible for Danish Design to be Within Reach.